WASHINGTON: A pouch, carried by Ho Ching, the wife of Singaporean premier on a state visit to the White House, has stolen the limelight, reports the BBC.
Priced at just $11, the pouch was designed by a Singaporean student at Pathlight, the country’s first autism-focused school.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho have been in Washington since Monday.
Initially, Ho’s choice of accessories was met with some criticism online. But, once it was discovered to have been designed by 19-year-old Seetoh Sheng Jie of Pathlight, sales of the pouch jumped.
The school typically sells 200 pouches in four months, but sold 200 within a day after images of Ho were shared widely, the school said.
She was seen carrying the pouch at the arrival ceremony at the White House South Lawn, where President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama officially welcomed Lee and Ho to the US.
The pouch, which is sold on a platform run by the school to promote the talents of people with autism, has since sold out.
Pathlight’s principal, Linda Kho, said the school was unaware that Lee would be bringing the pouch to Washington, which she bought at a recent fundraising event.
“We were pleasantly surprised and honored that she chose to bring this bag on her official visit. It gave such a great mileage for the artist on our Artist Development Programme (ADP),” she said.
“[She] is known to be very down to earth and practical and the fact that she carries a less than $20 Singapore dollars pouch to such a world stage event shows she is really confident and authentic.”
$11 pouch steals limelight
$11 pouch steals limelight
